License Plate Surrender & Registration Fee Refunds

License Plate Surrender

Nevada does not have a planned non-operation status or any requirement for a seller to notify the DMV of a vehicle sale. These issues are addressed by surrendering your license plates and canceling the registration. You should, however, use the Online Vehicle Resale Notification to help protect yourself in the event the vehicle is abandoned.

You have dropped the vehicle liability insurance for any reason. You should surrender the plates before you cancel the insurance.

You have sold or otherwise disposed of a vehicle and will not use the plates on another vehicle within 30 days.

Your vehicle will be stored or under repairs for an extended period and you do not wish to keep the liability insurance or registration in effect.

Bring the plate(s) and decal to any DMV office and surrender them to a technician inside the office. Do not place them in a drop box. You may cancel the registration and keep personalized or specialty plates as a souvenir. Bring the rear plate to the DMV and scrape off the decal in person.

Or, you may mail the plates, decal, and a signed letter requesting cancellation. You may wish to send the plates via certified mail with return signature required. Be sure to include your correct return address and daytime telephone number in case we need to contact you.

You will receive a credit for the unused portion of the current registration fees. The credit will decline on a pro-rated basis and reach zero on the day your registration would have expired.

You can only use the credit toward the registration or renewal of another vehicle which is registered in your name. You may renew other vehicles at any time in person at the DMV. You do not have to wait for the expiration date to approach. If your vehicle requires a smog check, you must have a new test completed if the last one is more than 90 days old. Credits cannot be applied to sales taxes or transferred to another person.

If you wish to allow another person to use an existing set of license plates that you currently own, you must complete a License Plate Release (SP 67). The new plate owner must submit this form when obtaining an original vehicle registration. The current registration for the plate number will be canceled. Registration fee credits may not be transferred to the new owner.

Refund Qualifications

The criteria for registration refunds are mandated by the State Legislature and not the Department of Motor Vehicles. (NRS 482.399 subsection 9)

Full or partial registration fee refunds are available to Nevada residents under limited circumstances. No refunds are issued to former residents.

Only unused portions of the Registration Fees, Governmental Services Taxes and Supplemental Governmental Services Taxes are refundable. Specialty plate fees, sales taxes and other fees are not refunded.

Refunds are not issued at the DMV office. The DMV will accept the refund application along with the Nevada license plates you are surrendering.

If approved, you will receive a check within 6-8 weeks from the date we receive the plates. If an application is denied, you will receive notification from the DMV.

The following criteria must be met to qualify for a refund:

The refund request must be made at the time the registration is canceled using the Registration Refund Request Form VP 210.

License plates must be surrendered.

The person requesting the refund must be a resident of Nevada.

The refund must exceed $100.

There are no sanctions, parking violations, or bad debts associated with the registration.

All of the above criteria must be met, and at least one of the following extenuating circumstances must apply:

The person requesting the refund has recently relinquished their driver's license and has sold or otherwise disposed of the vehicle.You must provide the name of the vehicle buyer and the date of sale on the Registration Refund Request form.

The vehicle has been determined to be inoperable and the person does not transfer the registration to a different vehicle.You must include a copy of any Salvage Title or a letter from an insurance company which indicates that the vehicle has been declared a total loss and records are pending.

The owner of the vehicle is seriously ill or has died and the guardians or survivors have sold or otherwise disposed of the vehicle.A copy of the Death Certificate or a doctor's note, doctor's bills or hospital bills are sufficient for evidence of death or serious illness.